Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-09-12
DIVISION AND ADHESION.

4.s:.s.see &c .as People or I5ako,a-N
Parallel in the History of the Uni ed
states
St. Paul Pioneer Press: 1t may we'll
be believed that the future of Dakota
depends in great measure upon the &C
tion of her people In the campaign which
has just been opened. There is mo
parallel in the history OF the United
States to the injustice which the people
OF this territory have suffered. Far
better equipped years ago in the num-
Der and character of its population than
we're q large number of the states at the
time OF their admission, possessed of
DEVELOPED material resources abnndantIy
sufficient to qualify it for membership
IN the union, paying to-day a contribn-
ton to the national revenue greater than
that OF many OF the states whose senators
and representatives sit at Washington to
make 1T the sport of their prejudlces or
their political plans, o patty plot has
Kept Dakota q territory until the wrong
has become a national disgrace. Because
the VOTE OF the territory Is republican /,
while the lower house Of congress. is
Democratic, admission has been refused
session after session. 1t is one OF the
absurdlties OF American politics to fiud
convention after convention Of the
Democratic party declaring in favor of
home ,rnle for Ireland, while the same
party deliberately denied to the people
OF this great and prosperous community
b fundamental rights Of national
/ citizenship.
There are real hardships involved IN
this tyranny OF the majority, ONLY the
people who live in Dakota know how
serious these are. To be denied apy
voice IN choosing q chief magistrate and
10 nave no vote In concerning the laws
made for the nation is q political ont
rage. When committed upon a body 81
half o million of people it assumes
Dimensions OF wrong such as have ipoit-
ed active rebellion among people less
orderly and well.poised. But there lie,
besides this, q substantial detriment 10
the material adysncement OF the
territory. The fostering OF the fine
public school system which the
people of Dakota, in common With
other communities in the northwest.
have constituted, demands Q domestir
control of domestic affairs, and is ham.
pered and retarded by the Territorial
status. Far worse ia the administrator
OF Justice. Nowhere else in the United
States is the machinery of the courts as
wholly inadequate for the transaction al
public business as in Dakota. The fad.
eral provision for o territory is powerless
70 do what ought to be done. The
courts are ~hopelessly in arrears, The
trial OF the simplest cases, involving
hundreds of miles OF travel and inordi.
nate costs, becomes impossible, The
law 10 almost at a standstill in the ter.
ritory, and must 30 remain until ad-
mission is granted.
The so:,sery pTsts1: ca Wiicn fha
democratic party has hitherto refused TO
listen to the appeal OF Dakota ia The
pretense that the people OF the territory
had mol themselves decided what they
wanted. Although legislature after
legislature had called for division. al
though the separation Of this enormona
area into independent parts was clearly
indicated by the mere physical facts ap-
parent 20 any one, although election
after election had shown that division
and admission were linked together in
the popuisr mind, and although success
sive constitutional conventions had de-
monstratad that the people OF south Da-
kota, nearly unanimous in their demand.
we're ready and eager TO enter upon
statehood, the flimsy assumption was
repeated endlesssly that this was mere
political ~schcmiDg. encouraged by re-
publican of1cehoiders. Who saw q pros.
poet cf advaroement for themselves in
the constitution of two governments
instead OF one. Now the time has come
when that pretext can be silenoed
forever, and the Last excuse for inaction
or refusal by congress can be SWEPT
away.
In election Isl I be held at which She
people OF Dakota, North and south. are
20 express their preference. The ferrr-
tory is oficered BY democrats. Ever
since the present administration cam
into office, democratic missionaries
have been busy, az q psyty measure, in
trying to cultivate y sentiment id favor
OF admission aB q whole. They have haa
49, -UA|.rZ. E-HE